ABSTRACT
Outdoor learning spaces can be used to support child development where children engage with natural elements as an integral part of their school experience. This naturally facilitates cognitive play: a grouping of behaviors that facilitate cognitive development. The problem is that outdoor learning is particularly challenging in winter due to cold weather. This compromises opportunities for children to benefit from outdoor learning for a large part of the school year in cold climates. Previous studies, using behavioral mapping, have pointed to the role that design elements play in child development; although these studies were conducted in warm weather. Our solution is to map child behaviors in schools where outdoor play is encouraged during winter, to illustrate the role that design elements play in winter outdoor learning, and to enable us to highlight challenges of winter outdoor learning that may be addressed through design interventions. We observed three schools which are dedicated to outdoor learning, during winter in a cold climate, using behavioral mapping, focused observations and photo documentation. Our analysis confirms that outdoor winter environments support cognitive play, and we discuss design interventions that can mitigate challenges faced by schools dedicated to outdoor learning in winter.
